Portion capsule for pulverulent or liquid basic drinks compounds

ABSTRACT

Main claim: Cup-like portion capsule ( 1 ) which consists of an electrically non-conductive material and has a cup base side ( 2 ) and a filling side ( 3 ) closed by an electrically non-conductive or electrically conductive lid element ( 5 ), which is filled with pulverulent or liquid beverage base materials, and which can have its contents extracted in a brewing or preparation chamber of a beverage-making machine for preparing a beverage, characterized in that the cup-like portion capsule ( 1 ) is provided, on its cup base side ( 2 ), with at least one electrically conductive zone ( 6; 7; 8; 9; 10 ) which is connected to it and is designed and arranged such that, with the portion capsule ( 1 ) located in the brewing or preparation chamber and the latter being closed, it is in electrically conductive contact with electrically conductive contacts of a control device which are arranged in the brewing or preparation chamber.

The invention relates to a portion capsule which is filled with pulverulent or liquid beverage base materials and is intended for contents extraction by way of an extraction liquid and for preparing a beverage in a beverage-making machine according to the preamble of Claim 1.

Such portion capsules, which are filled with a certain quantity of pulverulent or liquid beverage base materials, are used in beverage-making machines, in particular espresso machines.

The prior art is constituted by portion capsules which comprise a cup which is deep-drawn from aluminium foil, and of which the open, filling side is closed in an air-tight and aroma-tight manner by an aluminium foil, or a cup which is thermoformed from plastics material, and of which the open, filling side is closed by a plastics-material film, or a plastics-material cup which is produced by injection moulding, and of which the open, filling side is closed likewise by a plastics-material film or aluminium foil.

For preparing a beverage, the respective portion capsule is introduced into an open brewing or preparation chamber of a beverage-making machine, this chamber comprising a first, fixed chamber part, which is provided with opening means for opening the portion capsule for beverage-discharge purposes and is connected in a fluid-channelling manner to a structure for the outflow of the beverage, and also comprising a second chamber part, which can be moved horizontally or vertically in relation to the first chamber part, is connected in a fluid-channelling manner, in order for the portion capsule to be supplied with the extraction liquid, to an extraction-liquid-feeding subassembly and is provided with piercing means for opening the portion unit, wherein the movable chamber part opens the chamber in order for the portion capsule to be accommodated and closes the chamber in order for the portion capsule to have its contents extracted.

A beverage-making machine which corresponds to the prior art, and is provided with a brewing or preparation chamber for the use of portion capsules produced from an aluminium foil, has a checking device which checks whether a portion capsule is located in the brewing or preparation chamber and whether the brewing or preparation chamber is closed. For this purpose, the movable bell-like brewing- or preparation-chamber part, in which the base part of the portion-capsule cup is located when the brewing or preparation chamber is closed, contains at least two electrical contacts which are electrically insulated from one another and from the brewing or preparation chamber, form the ends of an open control circuit of a control device and, with a portion capsule located in the brewing or preparation chamber and the latter being closed, are in electrically conductive contact with the electrically conductive portion capsule and close the control circuit for the control device by means of the electrically conductive portion capsule. The control device initiates beverage preparation only when an electrically conductive portion capsule is located in the brewing or preparation chamber and the brewing or preparation chamber is closed.

Since portion capsules consisting of aluminium are relatively difficult to recycle, it would be advantageous for portion capsules for beverage-making machines which are provided with a brewing or preparation chamber for the use of portion capsules produced from an aluminium foil to be produced from a recyclable or biodegradable plastics material, which, in addition to the ecological advantage, would have the advantage of more favourable production costs for the portion capsule. However, since the beverage-making machines described start a preparation cycle only when an electrically conductive portion capsule is located in the brewing or preparation chamber, it would not be possible to use such plastics-material portion capsules in these machines.

It is an object of the invention to present a recyclable portion capsule which consists of plastics material and/or electrically non-conductive material, is cost-effective to produce and can be used in a beverage-making machine which is provided with a brewing or preparation chamber which closes a control circuit for a control device, in order to start a preparation cycle, only by means of the electrical conductivity of the portion capsule.

The object is achieved by a portion capsule having the features indicated in Claim 1. Expedient configurations of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

The invention proposes that a portion capsule consisting of electrically non-conductive material be provided, in part, with at least one electrically conductive zone such that, with the portion capsule located in the brewing or preparation chamber of a beverage-making machine and with the brewing or preparation chamber being closed, the electrical contacts of a control unit which are arranged in the brewing or preparation chamber are in electrically conductive contact with the electrically conductive zone of the portion capsule and close a control circuit.

The invention is illustrated in 10 figures.

FIG. 1 shows, in perspective, a cup-like portion capsule which consists of an electrically non-conductive material and of which the cup base side is provided with an electrically conductive coating.

FIG. 1 a shows the side view of the portion capsule from FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows, in perspective, a cup-like portion capsule which consists of an electrically non-conductive material and has an electrically conductive foil applied to its cup base side.

FIG. 2 a shows the side view of the portion capsule from FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows, in perspective, a cup-like portion capsule which consists of an electrically non-conductive material and of which the cup base side is formed by an electrically conductive foil.

FIG. 3 a shows, in partially cut-away form, the side view of the portion capsule from FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 shows, in perspective, a cup-like portion capsule which is produced from electrically non-conductive material using plastics injection moulding and has an electrically conductive inlay injected into the cup base side.

FIG. 4 a shows, in partially cut-away form, the side view of the portion capsule from FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows, in perspective, a cup-like portion capsule which consists of an electrically non-conductive material and of which the cup base side consists, in part, of an electrically conductive plastics material.

FIG. 5 a shows the side view of the portion capsule from FIGS. 5.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

-   1 Plastics-material portion capsule -   2 Cup base side of the portion capsule -   3 Filling side of the portion capsule -   4 Cup periphery of the portion capsule -   5 Lid closure -   6 Electrically conductive coating -   7 Electrically conductive foil -   8 Electrically conductive foil -   9 Electrically conductive inlay -   10 Electrically conductive plastics material 

1. Cup-like portion capsule comprising an electrically non-conductive material and having a cup base side and a filling side closed by an electrically non-conductive or electrically conductive lid element, which is filled with pulverulent or liquid beverage base materials, and which can have its contents extracted in a brewing or preparation chamber of a beverage-making machine for preparing a beverage, the cup-like portion capsule is provided, on its cup base side, with at least one electrically conductive zone which is connected to it and is so constructed and arranged that, when the portion capsule is located in the brewing or preparation chamber and the latter is closed, it is in electrically conductive contact with electrically conductive contacts of a control device which are positioned in the brewing or preparation chamber.
 2. Cup-like portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive zone is an electrically conductive coating.
 3. Cup-like portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive zone is an electrically conductive foil.
 4. Cup-like portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive zone is an electrically conductive inlay injected into the cup base side of the portion capsule.
 5. Cup-like portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the cup base side of the portion capsule is formed by an electrically conductive foil.
 6. Cup-like portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive zone is an electrically conductive plastics material.
 7. Cup-like portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive zone can be pierced by a piercing member of the brewing or preparation chamber. 